{UAH} Babu, Kagingo Fight for Kampala Seat

http://kampalascene.com/index.php/2017/02/06/babu-kagingo-fight-for-kampala-seat/

Babu, Kagingo Fight for Kampala Seat

by Our Reporter · February 6, 2017

The battle for the 9 EALA Seats escalated after MPs became sharply divided between veteran leader Capt Francis Babu and youthful Sarah Kagingo for the Kampala slot.

The two are among the more than 100 actors fighting for the nine EALA slots to represent Uganda in the Arusha-based regional assembly.

NRM which the duo represents has divided Uganda into 6 elective regions Kampala being one of them.

CEC sources say this time round each region will have one person to make the total of 6 regions under which NRM operates.

"This equitable sharing is good for mobilization and regional balancing to avoid being accused of favoring one region," said a CEC member.

This new formula has prompted EALA contenders to be designated in terms of regions.

The Kampala seat has attracted much heat with Babu, Kagingo and little known Stella Kiryowa being the 3 that were nominated by NRM EC Chairman Odoi Tanga as contenders to carry its flag.

NRM caucus members will choose one to go to Arusha and eat things on behalf of Kampala voters.

Whereas many MPs have shunned Babu on grounds he is elderly and has previously eaten as MP and Minister, Tourism Minister Godfrey Kiwanda is sticking to him.

This has actually rattled feathers in Buganda Caucus whose members like Mohammed Nsereko resent Capt Babu dismissing him as too belligerent his experience notwithstanding.

Other critics claim that Babu, whose approach discomforted many EALA MPs when he used to frequent Arusha when his spouse Margaret Zziwa was still Speaker, won't work well with EALA MPs from EAC countries with members eligible for reelection.

Zziwa had wrangles with fellow EALA MPs resulting into her removal from office. MPs resented excessive spousal influence Babu had on her.

Many felt Zziwa was consulting him too much. However, Babu's supporters have refused to be cowed arguing there is nothing wrong with NRM spouses sharing directly on the national cake.

Examples are being given including couples serving in the same Cabinet and CEC where Amama Mbabazi and his wife Jacqueline served.

"In that very 10^th Parliament we have father and son [Bright Rwamirama & Mpaka Mwine] sitting in the same House. So being spouse to Zziwa doesn't make Capt Babu less qualified for EALA," said one of his supporters.

Some MPs have resented the confrontational approach with Babu's people are seeking votes.

"There are MPs who they have been calling and blasting them as to why they aren't Capt Babu's supporters and this has made many harden towards his bid," said a source.

On her part Kagingo has attracted sympathy with many MPs arguing having failed to recover her remuneration for the years she served as President Museveni's social media assistant, this is her time to also access political groceries.

"She was in State House for all those years and was beaten by a female soldier [names withheld] almost daily and broke her back working for the president and she deserves the EALA platform to serve her country as one of the 6 MPs representing NRM. She was beaten several times and nobody in security would come to her rescue," said a pro-Kagingo MP.

The latest to join her campaign team is popular political analyst Tamale Mirundi who has been marketing her on his widely followed radio and TV shows.

He says "she is passionate, energetic and competent for the job." Mirundi's entry has created a new frenzy with many MPs, who believe in him concurring its high time energetic youths like Kagingo went to Arusha. This is how one MP described the duo's race:

"It's a race between soft power and hard power. Babu's aggressive approach represents hard power and Kagingo's persuasive approach represents soft power which is the new 21^st century way of doing things."

Away from the soft power vs. hard power sloganeering is Stella Kiryowa's dramatic candidature.

Until last week she was a DP diehard but in what shocked many on Monday she turned up at NRM EC offices, paid Shs2m and Tanga nominated her.

News of her defection left many in DP cursing ever joining Mao's party. Even within NRM she was welcomed with hostility with many MPs wondering why NRM has no minimum standards regarding who qualifies to be its flag bearer.

"This is very strange and we suspect she is in the race just to catch the big man's attention so that he makes her RDC in the upcoming reshuffle," ranted one of the MPs. Kiryowa has all along been campaigning with Mukasa Mbidde and Susan Nakawuki in an alliance.

But over the weekend she reached understanding with Nakawuki who wanted to reduce female competitors for the independent ticket.

In 2016 Kiryowa aspired to stand for Kampala woman MP on the DP ticket but lost primaries to Nakiwala Kiyingi.

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Allaah gives the best to those who leave the choice to Him."And if Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it but He, and if He touches you with good, then He is Able to do all things." (6:17)

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